We Fly Again
by MissCustomerService
Summary: This is the sequel to the successful story, The Days We Flew Together. This is the tale of Vul and Valentine Raynals' life fifteen years after the Halberd was downed. Now married and with two children, they are a happy couple, having everything they've ever wanted. The only problem is, Vul's past, lies, and secrets are catching up to him, as well as a man who plots to kill him.
1. Prologue

June 18th, 5017  
>Dearest Father,<p>

I do hope you've been doing well, and I wish to start this letter off by apologizing for not responding to your letter when I received it a month ago, but alas, the day I received it was the day I birthed our first child.  
>Vul was so happy when he first held his baby; a healthy boy. We've named him Victor. Victor Bryce Raynals. He's a beautiful little angel, and already looks like his father, right down to the birthmark on his left ankle, it's so precious.<br>Victor is a quiet little one, always sleeping soundly through the night, not crying often. It makes a very peaceful household!

Anyhow, I do hope you and mother drop by to visit someday. You are always welcome.  
>Do say hello to mother for me.<br>Your loving daughter,  
>-Valentine Margret Raynals<p>

—–—-–—

October 11th, 5020

Dearest Father,

Just the other day, on October the 8th, I gave birth to our second child. Vul was as equally happy when he held this one as he was with Victor, whom is now three years old. Time flies by quickly when you're in love, does it not?

This one is a darling little girl, whom we've named Valkyrie Corliss Raynals. I do hope mother doesn't mind we've used her first name as Valkyrie's middle name. Valkyrie is a little more fussy than Victor was, even at a few days old, but she never cries in her papa's arms. She sleeps like a log when Vul holds her, though, this makes Victor a little jealous, so he'll climb right into Vul's lap whenever he's sitting down, just so he can cuddle with his father too.

I came home the other day from doing some errands, and found them curled up in his arms, fast asleep, and my captain looking more tired than I've ever seen him. Looks as though raising two little ones is harder than captaining a warship!

I miss you both dearly, do come home soon. I'm sure Valkyrie would love to meet you, and Victor would like to see his grandparents again.

Your loving daughter,  
>-Valentine Margret Raynals<p>

-—–-

You, reader, must be wondering why there are two letters, between Valentine Raynals and her father, Argus Raynals, both of which were written three years apart. Well, they hold a significance in two ways. One, is because these mark the dates that Victor Bryce and Valkyrie Colriss Raynals were born into the world, secondly, because they were reported 'lost', never reaching her father, and thus, having to be re-written. Now, suspicious, isn't it, that these are the only two letters that were ever 'lost' between Valentine and Argus? I think so. And I'm sure you think that as well. Reader, the events in this story take place fifteen years after the Warship Halberd was downed, and thirteen years since Victor Bryce was born.

In that time, a man who's hatred for Vul has been growing evermore, all because of one, crucial event in both Captain and this man's life. This reason, this event, whatever it may be, has been hidden for twenty years. Hidden by Captain Vul.

But, Vul has never told Valentine, or anybody. Only him, the man, and Sir Meta Knight know of the event.  
>Now why would Vul hide this? None know. Vul's hidden many things in his heart, and those things have never surfaced, yet they aren't forgotten,<p>

Dear reader, before I go onward, I must tell you the tragic thing about secrets, that we all learn painfully at some point in our lives. Secrets never remain hidden forever, no matter how hard we try to bury them in the past, leave them for lost, we cannot. We cannot even hope to. Eventually, these secrets accumulate with lies that were created to cover them up, to prevent them from being known. These lies will grow. And grow. And grow some more, until we can no longer hide them, and sooner or later, they explode out, being spilled into the world by the secret-keeper. It's things like this that ruin friendships, marriages, anything really. It takes years for trust to be built, but letting out a secret of any sort can break it down in an instant. Maybe you knew this from your own experiences, maybe I've taught you this before you can experience it, in which case, I do hope it is the latter. Though if it is the former, I know how you feel.

Back to the story now. The secrets Vul Raynals holds even now in his heart are held within this story, within the pages you desire to read. These secrets have been carefully concealed in the darkness, where they belong, chained in chains, locked with locks.  
>To kindly, not be touched.<p>

Reader, I forewarn you now. These secrets were meant to be kept in darkness. I won't tell you to put down this book, I won't tell you to stop reading this very sentence I have written, but I will only tell you this:

You are about to expose the lies and secrets Vul Raynals has hidden carefully. You are about to learn his, and many others' pasts. You are about to bring them into the light, where they don't belong.

You are about to touch those secrets, about to pick the locks, unchain the chains... You are about to open the box that the Captain has locked away within the darkest depths of his heart, and thrown away the keys for.

You, are about to perhaps ruin everything. But I've only perked your interest, have I not? That is what I hoped to do, even if that was a warning. You, are willing to risk ruining things just to learn secrets.

I do believe I've covered my bases, informing you that you are unlocking the dark secrets of two men who's lives are intertwined. One, a successful Captain, with a wife and family of his own, the other, a high-ranking assassin, who has devoted the past twenty years of his life plotting the murder of the captain.

If you wish to know everything, how this story unfolds, read onward.  
>If not, then I do not think of you any different than when you started reading.<p>

This, this is the tale of a Captain, a First Officer, bound by love and by their children...

An assassin and his brother, a clueless mechanic, one of which plots the Captain's death..

Knights, lies, secrets, and darkness.. And a little girl, with her father's golden blonde hair.

This, dear reader, is the tale of them all.

This tale, dear reader, is, as you may know...

is We Fly Again.


	2. Chapter 1, Our New Life

She sat on the front porch of their house, at the edge of Orange Ocean with her husband, seated in a porch swing with him, and laying down, her head resting in his lap.  
>Vul's fingers ran through her hair, a faint smile on his face as he watched Sailor Dee, now a grown man of twenty seven, but with the same gentle features, and soft brown eyes, laughing and playing with thirteen-year-old Victor, who was growing into a fine young lad. Victor was strong, like his father, with the same amber eyes and broad shoulders, he also kept his golden-blonde hair cropped close to his head. He aspired to be like his father, despite Vul worrying about the boy picking up on his dialect, though it seemed that would not happen.<p>

Sitting nearby the pair was his daughter, Valkyrie, the gentle little girl with a curiosity bigger than herself, and she was fairly short. She had her father's amber eyes, and golden hair, like her brother, but already, at nine years old, it had grown down to the middle of her back. Valkyrie had grown to be the quieter of the children, Victor, the more outgoing.

Obviously, Vul loved them equally. A thought came to his mind, remembering the time Sailor, on his twenty-fifth birthday, had offered to get his own place, or to start paying rent. Both Vul and Valentine declined both ideas, saying he was more than welcome to remain living in their basement as long as he pleased, given the boy was like Vul's son. Vul had joked that day he was getting too old to run around with his children. At forty-two years old, he could think that, though he was still pretty active.

Valentine was thirty-nine. She was getting worried at the thought that in a matter of years, she'd be no longer able to bear children. Vul had said it was perfectly fine, and that Sailor could still count as a child.  
>That, had reassured Valentine, and made her happy.<p>

Now, as he watched the sun hang low in the sky, turning the sky a beautiful, fiery orange, he smiled too, and looked down at his wife, who's eyes were closed, though she was not asleep. "...Ye know, I almost miss t'e days we were aboard t'e Halberd. Gave me a reason ta 'ave me dialect. Now... Well, it seems kind o' silly, like it did back when I was a lad." He mused to her, his smile fading.

"Nonsense Vul." She replied, opening her eyes the slightest bit to look up at him. "...Your dialect makes you, you. You wouldn't be Captain Vul without it, would you?"

"Aye, I suppose, but I ain't a captain no more, lass."

"So? You are still my captain."

He chuckled, that soft smile of his returning. "...Thank ya lassie. Ye still be m' first officer. Ya always will be." Vul told her, taking her hand gently, and raising it to his lips, giving it a light kiss.

Valentine giggled softly, adjusting her position carefully. "...Vul Raynals, you can be the most amazing man.."

"Aren't I always?"

"Of course you are. You know what I meant."

"I love ye, Valentine..."

"I love you more."

"No ya don't." He chuckled, looking up again as Victor managed to tackle Sailor to the ground, and the two began to wrestle.  
>"Ey lads! Ya be careful! I don't want either o' ye gettin' 'urt!"<p>

They stopped for a moment, looking up at Vul, Victor smiling a little. "We won't get hurt, dad, we're only playing!"

"A'ight, I know lad. So long as yer 'avin' fun." He chuckled, leaning back again, continuing to stroke Valentine's hair.

Little did any of them realize, there he was, getting more confident by the day, sitting perched in one of the trees near the house, watching for a short while, before slipping off back to his home base.  
>This man, was the man who wanted Vul dead.<br>This was the man who's name, in Dream Land, became synonymous with death.

This man, was Collin Arthur Salusman.


	3. Chapter 2, We Meet Collin

His name was Collin, Collin Arthur Salusman. He was the reason many respected, and not so respected, Dreamlanders were murdered. Mostly just him. He had a fairly complex MO, which varied between poisons, shootings, stabbings, hangings, strangulations, suffocations, and any other method of murder that could be known. Whatever you could think of, Collin had mastered. He could kill with deadly precision and swiftness, usually completing his work and absconding the scene before anybody could even call the authorities. He left no trace, none. Nobody could ever trace him. Only the underworld of Dream Land knew him, as he came to the occasional poker game, and boasted about his murders, over a match and a few drinks.

Though, he was a contract killer. A hired gun. He killed for a living, which made him dangerous, both in a physical and mental sense. None of these murders meant a thing to him, only for the cash. He enjoyed the terror his victims felt, and their bloodshed.

He found his female victims easier to lure away from groups, especially given his handsome appearance. Tall, muscular skin, short kept black hair.. He was a attractive man to say the least, usually wearing a long sleeved black button-up, which, he usually kept unbuttoned, exposing his bare abdomen. He had a tattoo around his navel, resembling the sun.  
>He also usually wore dark grey jeans, and black, leather boots. He usually had a saber strapped on his back, and two pistols and two daggers concealed on his belt, under his shirt, and poison tablets in his pockets.<p>

He was a dangerous man, who covered all his bases. In one back pocket, he had black leather gloves, to hide his fingerprints when committing the actual murder, should he have to touch anything to escape.

To the authorities of Dream Land, he was known as a shadow, not having a name to them, or anything in their database to identify him, to the underworld of Dream Land, he was only Collin, nothing else.

To His brother, and those who had known him personally, he was Collin Arthur Salusman.

At the moment, he was sitting at a table at one of the local underworld bars, sitting with a few of his buddies, one, a shorter, plumper man with red hair and green eyes, named Andrew, but called Andy. Another, a man with lighter brown hair that went down to his shoulders, with brown, named Richard, but called Ricky, or, Rick, and the third was one with silver hair that faded to black at the back if his neck, named Geoff, but called Geo.

The three men all had ale, but Collin, a glass of wine. He had pretty high standards for a gun for hire.

"So, Col, that latest murder of yours.. Tell us about it, and how much you were paid." Ricky requested, Geo nodding.  
>"Yeah. Speak up Col. Who were they?" he asked eagerly.<p>

"Alright, alright, if you must, must know, and given I can trust you three, it was Miranda Crimina, one of Dedede's serving Dee's.

"No way... the orange-haired chick with the two different coloured eyes?"

"That'd be the one, Andy."

"How much did you get paid? Come on Col, tell us more man. Tell us more." Geo half-begged, taking a sip of his ale.

"You probably won't believe me, but I don't lie to you boys, do I?"

"Oh just spit it out man! How much were you paid?!" Andy demanded, sitting on the edge of his seat.

"Thirty five hundred Deden." Collin said smugly, grinning.

"No way! On a serving maid? How the hell did that happen?!" Ricky hissed, looking confused.

"Apparently the girl didn't bring my hire something as he wanted. I didn't get it either, but a gig's a gig, am I right?"

"I guess. Hell of a payday for you." Ricky grumbled, sipping his ale and looking away. At the same moment he did this, Geo leaned forward, looking around, before lowering his voice and speaking to the assassin as he swirled his wine in his glass.  
>"...So, how's project V coming, Col?"<p>

This grabbed the other men's attention, and they leaned forward to hear as well.  
>"Project V? Damn, you boys are asking a lot of questions tonight. But, I'm in a good mood, so I'll answer." He said, his red gaze flicking up to look at them all. "I trust you. You tell anybody about Project V, and I'll shank you, a'ight?"<p>

Geo, Andy, and Ricky all nodded, all looking eager to hear the latest report.

"Good. Project V is going fine. I'm almost done the planning, soon it'll be put into action, and it'll be easy as killing a wench." He chuckled, leaning back a little. "Vul's got a little girl. She's nine."

"So? What does she have to do with killing the man?"

"Another simple question from you, Andy. Look at these." He said, reaching into a pocket within his shirt, and putting two yellowing pieces of paper on the table. "Be careful with those, will you?"

The men slid the papers over to them carefully, all reading silently, before Geo looked up. "5017? That was thirteen years ago, wasn't it?"

"Mhm, keep reading."

After a few moments, Andy looked up, "Valentine Margret Raynals? Who's she?"

"Vul's wife you numbskull..." Ricky grumbled, sipping his drink again.

"...Give the man a prize." Collin said sarcastically, chuckling. "Yes, she's Vul's wife. I stole these letters from her father's, Argus Raynals, the bar owner in Grape Garden, mailbox. Once I saw they were from Valentine, I took them. The one from '17 was when Victor was born, the one from '20 was from when Valkyrie was born."

"Why are these relevant to Vul's murder, if I may ask?"

"Easy, Geo." Collin said cockily, taking a sip of his wine before answering. "Vul took all I loved away from me, I'm going to take the things he loves from him one by one.  
>I am going to kidnap Valkyrie Colriss Raynals."<p> 


	4. Chapter 3 Talk Of The New Warship

Whilst Collin discussed with his friends, Vul, Valentine, Valkyrie, Victor, and Sailor were all sitting in the living room of the house, Valkyrie asleep, laying on Vul, sitting in his lap.

"So, Vul..." Sailor began, looking up from a book he was reading. "You hear back from Meta Knight yet?"

"Bout what, lad?"

"You know... _It_."

"Ah... Aye, t'at. She be comin' along smoothly. I've seen 'er a few times."

"Seen what, dad?" Victor asked, looking interested.

"I ever tell ye 'bout t'e warship I used ta work on, lad? T'e one I was Captain of?"

"The Halberd?"

"T'at be t'e one, aye. Me and yer mother worked on it tagether. 'Ow we met, actually. T'at woulda been, oh, fifteen years ago now.. Before ya were born. She was t'e First Officer."

"You've told me that. You've told me pretty much everything about it. Now what were you talking about, dad?"

"Well, lad, t'ere 'as been a second Halberd in construction t'e past ten years, and occasionally I've been overseein' her construction. She be a lovely lookin' ship, given t'at she was finished last week."

"Really?! Cool! Can I see it one day?"

"Aye d' believe ya can. 'Specially since I've been asked ta Captain it again, and yer mother's been asked ta be it's First officer. So, we migh' be livin' aboard 't sooner 'r later."

"Wow.. That's awesome.. Will I get to work on it too?"

"Oh, lad.." Vul chuckled, smiling softly. "I'd 'ave ta ask Sir Meta Knight t'at. But, I'll see what I can d', a'ight?"

"Thanks dad."

"Not a problem, laddie. But, ye really should be 'eaded ta bed now. Ye got school in t'e morn, ye and yer sister. Ye go get ready, a'ight?"

"Aye Captain." Victor smirked, giving a playful salute.

"Ye did t'e salute wrong, lad. I'll 'ave ta show ye 'ow ta d' it properly, if her gon' be workin' aboard t'e Halberd."

Victor chuckled, before getting up to go get ready for bed. Sailor looked up after he left, about to say something, before noting Valkyrie was still sleeping on Vul, so he went back to reading. Vul noticed this, and furrowed his brow, looking at him in concern. "Somethin' be wrong, lad?"

"N-No, it's nothing."

"Sailor, what's the matter?" Valentine Spoke up, looking worried now as well. "You're bothered by something.."

"...I... What if this Halberd goes down like the last one? What if we can't all get off if it does? What if-.."

Vul held a hand up to silence him. "Lad, yer stressin' o'er nothin'. T'e ship won't go down, given t'at we aren't gon' be takin' o'er Dream Land. We're gon' be protectin' it."

"H-How do you know?"

"Lad. I'm gon' be t'e ships' Captain. I've been told e'rythin' I need ta be knowin'. Trust me lad."

"I do, Vul. I always h-have trusted you."

"Glad ya d', seein' as I've known ya since ye were a wee one."

Sailor only nodded, slowly standing up. "...I-I'll be headed off to bed now, I think."

"Ye d' t'at. 'Ave a good rest, lad. I'll be seein' ye in t'e morn."

"Of course. Goodnight Vul, Valentine." He said, before leaving the room.

"Good night Sailor." Valentine said after him, before yawning, and standing up herself. "I'll take Valkyrie to her room if you want, then I'll head to bed. You aren't going to see Sir Meta Knight again tonight, are you?"

"Nay lassie. I be here fer t'nigh'."

"Good, good. I'll see you in bed then, darling." She smiled, walking over and giving her husband a light kiss on the cheek, before picking up Valkyrie, and walking to the young girl's room to tuck her into bed.

Vul watched her go, leaning back into the living chair he sat in. All would go smoothly with this Halberd, he knew that. He wouldn't let it go down again.  
>Yet, he got a nagging feeling in the back of his mind. And that nagging feeling made him worry. Something was going to happen.. He got that feeling. He got the feeling it would be worse than the Halberd sinking... Much worse. Yet, he had not guesses as to what could happen.<p>

And he could never hope to know what would happen, he could never hope to dream, think, or guess what would happen.


	5. Chapter 4: Rising Storm

Clack!

That was the sound that met Collin's ears, before he watched two solid coloured billiards balls slip into the rightmost corner pocket from him, in order, one after the other. This made him smirk, and that smirk became cocky when the cue ball got into a bad spot on the edge of one side pocket. Standing up straight, he looked his opponent, Geo, in the eye. "...Still in the game?"

"...Course I am Collin. I'm not as easily done in as you think.." He murmured, setting down his drink, and going to take his shot. Collin stepped aside, picking up his glass of rum and coke. "...Say, Mr. King of the billiards table, how's about you tell us about that damned plan of yours?"

From a few tables away, a young teen was cleaning one of the tables. She'd been working at this bar for a good while now, and often things stayed the same. People came in and drank, sometimes talking to people or picking up women, but nothing strange happened. This girl had long, raven black hair, and brown eyes, a pale face, and freckles dotting her cheeks. To many, she was a normal girl, but to others, she was good company for conversation. Her name? Storm Blü.  
>Storm had never once heard anybody mention a plan before. Perhaps it was for a marriage, or something like that. Nonetheless, she silently moved a table closer, cleaning it, and straining her ears to hear what the men were saying.<p>

"…I was thinking of snatching up Vul's kid. The youngest one, Valkyrie. I have an idea of using her as bait to lure Vul out and to wherever we're holding her, then we kill him."

Geoff took his shot, and watched the cue ball bounce off his first striped bal, and knock it into a pocket. "…Awfully risky plan don't you think, Col? I mean.. He know who you are, doesn't he? How do you plan on snatchin' Valkyrie if that's the case."

"…Well, that's where I'm a little stuck. I was wondering if you gents wanted to get on board with the plan..?"

Andy looked up from his bottle of beer. "….Col, you know what you're asking us? To give ourselves into an operation that is against a military CAPTAIN. That's a little risky."

Ricky nodded in agreement to Andy. "..Andy's right. Going against an entire military is near suicide. Besides, this is for a personal grudge. Are you even getting paid to do it?"

Storm's heart nearly skipped a beat. These men were dangerous… but her curiosity was overcoming her, and she moved silently to clean the table nearest the four men, heart pounding in her chest.

"..Course I am, boys. Why would I go through all this trouble if I wasn't getting paid?" Collin asked, lining up his shot.

"..How much..?" Geo asked, sounding interested now.

Collin hesitated, lining his shot before taking it, sending three solid coloured balls into the pockets. "….Thirty Million deden."

"Thirty MILLION?" The boys echoed in unison, eyes widening.  
>"…Nova, Col… I'm in. Who's paying you?" Ricky said, crossing his arms and looking greatly impressed.<p>

"..A certain supporter, of whom I cannot tell you who he is at this moment."

"..Why not?" Geoff murmured.

Collin simply turned around and looked Storm dead in the eye, and the woman froze. "…Because we've got a spy on our hands.."

Storm got up instantly, and tried to back away, heart pounding. She ended up tripping over a chair, and fell flat on her rear.  
>Collin walked over, and helped her up, holding her close and murmuring right into her ear. "…You shouldn't be eavesdropping, sweetheart… It only gets you hurt…"<p>

"..Nova, Please do not kill me!" The girl begged, her english accent clear in her terrified voice. Collin chuckled, and soon Geo, Andy, and Ricky chuckled with him.  
>"…Oh, dear.. why would I kill you? You've only given me an idea…<br>Now, I can kill you… Or, as I'd prefer… You cooperate, and you assist me…"

"..H-How…?"

"..You kidnap Valkyrie Raynals FOR me. I give you the place and time you do so, you grab her, you bring her to us. You live. Sound good?"

Storm hesitated, before noticing Collin had his hand on a pistol, and hesitantly, she nodded.  
>"..O-Ok…"<p> 


	6. Chapter 5, A little girl gone

Two weeks had passed now, and in that time, Vul, Valentine, Victor, Sailor, and Valkyrie had all packed up everything they'd need to live comfortably on the Halberd. The children had two rooms for themselves, while Captain and First Officer, like on the Halberd I, would share a room and living space. Things were going well, and, with each holding two suitcases (and Valkyrie holding her stuffed albatross, Mr. Feathers), they stood on the porch of the house, Vul locking the door, and stowing the key in the pocket of his jeans. He chuckled as he did so, giving a soft smile. "...I'm almost goin' ta miss it, bein' able ta just wear clothes like this... T'ey be comfortable."

"True, true... But the uniforms are comfortable as well. Besides.. Either way I think you look lovely." Valentine said with a chortle, pecking her husbands' cheek.

Victor was looking out to the sea that they lived near. Nova, he'd miss that. That was his place of solitude. Whenever the bullies at school got to him, he'd run to the beach, and throw stones and scream and cry until he felt better. While his mother and father said it would be best for him to talk to them about it instead of unleashing his anger like that, he thought it better to let it out like that than to rant. Besides, he didn't like worrying people with his problems...

Vul's voice tore him from his thoughts, bringing his gaze from the ocean to him, where he and his family now stood a little up the path.

"...Ye comin' lad? I called ye twice."

"Sorry dad. Got lost in thought." Victor said as he hurried over with his suitcases.

"...Ah, I see. Ain't a problem laddie. So long as ye don' plan on stayin' behind."

"I wouldn't."

Vul smiled, patting his son on the head and gently ruffling his hair, before picking up the suitcase he had set down, and he led his family down the dirt path, before a voice behind them made him stop once more.

"..A-Ah! C-Captain, p-pardon me!" A black-haired woman panted as she caught up, looking as though she'd hurried over. "...M-May I speak to you all a-a moment?"

"...Course lass. ...May I ask yer name? And 'ow ye know me, fer t'at matter."

"..M-My n-name I-is S-Storm. S-Storm B-Blü, sir. I-I know you because, w-well, y-you are practically a legend! C-captain of t-the warship Halberd and all.."

"...Storm? Well, pleasure ta meet ye. I be assumin' ye know me name, so what d' ye need?"

"...I-I was just wondering a-about a rumor, if you have time to confirm or deny it..

Is there really going to be a s-second H-Halberd?"

Vul looked amused, and he nodded. "Aye, t'ere be another Halberd. We actually be on our way t'ere now."

Storm moved herself a little to one side, moving everyone's gaze. Valkyrie toddled a little away from the group, looking at the rocks on the path. Silently, from the opposite direction Vul and his family were facing, a man dressed in all black, with cropped black hair and red eyes, walked closer, eyes on Valkyrie, and gaze flickering to Storm.

"..Oh, well, that's good to know! I take it you are captaining that ship as well?"

"Aye, t'at I be..." He nodded. These questions were.. Odd, given how quickly they'd spurred up, but he wouldn't object... Not yet.

"...Ah, thank you for your time, C-Captain.. G-good luck to you and your wife on the H-Halberd II!" She said quickly, curtsying, before turning around and leaving.

Vul smiled, and chuckled a little, before looking around for Valkyrie.

She was nowhere to be seen..

He turned around, looking about rapidly, and soon Valentine, then Victor and Sailor, picked up on his fear, everyone looking around.. Until they looked up the path and saw a man in all black carrying a little girl with blonde hair, who looked worried, but he was apparently talking to her, as he walked to a black, running, Maserati.

"V-Valkyrie! OI! PUT ME DAUGHTER DOWN!" Vul screamed, dropping his suitcases and breaking into a run after the man, who looked back briefly, before sprinting to the car, holding Valkyrie tighter. She screamed in fright, dropping her albatross as she held a hand out to Vul.

The back door to the Maserati opened, and the man hurriedly climbed inside, still holding Valkyrie. He slammed the door shut, and the car roared to life, tires spinning for a moment on the dirt path, before taking off, stopping about five hundred meters ahead, the door flying open, and the man grabbed Storm, pulling her into the car as well, before they took off again, leaving nothing but a trail of dust behind.

Vul stood, shocked, seething, and.. His eyes brimming with tears as he bent down to pick up a small toy albatross that Valkyrie had held dear to her heart since she received it at three years old...

He held it close to his heart as Valentine walked over to him, hugging one of his arms for comfort as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Victor and Sailor could only stare at the fading cloud of dust, Victor full of sorrow and rage, and Sailor full of fear and anger as well.

None spoke, but there was no need to. For all were thinking the same thing:

Why would a little girl be kidnapped so close to where her family stood?

No matter what though, the Raynals family would do anything to get their Valkyrie back.

After all, that was a small, seemingly rag-tag crew, against an army.

At least, that's what they believed.


	7. Chapter 7, The Kidnappers

Though what Vul may think, the two that had taken Valkyrie and Storm were no rag-tag bunch, but Collin himself, and his accomplice Geo.

Though he'd jumped into the back seat of the Maserati, that was just so he could put the two girls there. Now, he'd climbed into the passenger seat beside Geo, chortling as he pulled down his bandana and hood. "...Good driving, Geo.. As per norm, if not a little better."

"Thanks Col." Geo looked at his superior through the corner of his eye. "...I do my best and such.."

"I-I'd hate to i-interrupt..." Storm spoke up hesitantly. "B-But I thought you said if I h-helped you kidnap her, I-I could go free...?"

Collin turned in his seat to look back at her, grinning. "What, infront of her father? The captain of the military? Who if I left you there, would question you and probably get all the information on us you have out of you, thus tracking us down and making my twenty or so years of planning pointless? No. We took you again cause we can't afford that. Sorry sweetheart, but you'll be sticking around with us for a little while longer."

With that, Collin turned around, and started talking with Geo about things, various sports, the car, eachother's days so far... Things that made it seem like they weren't concerned about having just committing a crime.

Storm turned and looked at Valkyrie, who was sniffling quietly, tears running down her cheeks. Feeling a pang of guilt, being partly responsible for her sorrow, she moved a little closer. "W-What's wrong sweetie?"

"I-I miss my daddy... I-I w-wanna go back to him!" She whined, hugging Storm's arm.

Storm sighed softly, gently patting the girl's head to try and soothe her. "I-I know, little one... Y-You'll see him again... I-I think..."

"Not likely." Geo spoke up from the front seat, looking back at them through the rear view mirror. "...Vul's probably gonna fight tooth and nail for her, but we're not gonna give her up easy. We have more hideouts than what you know."

"B-But... C-Can he not just p-pay ransom for the l-little dearie and this all be over with?"

"Of course not." Collin spoke up now. "...You've heard me talk of my plans, so you should know that I have no intent on ransom or anything.

The only thing Vul can use to pay me to get her back is his life."

Storm gulped, leaning back in her seat. Oh nova... What had she gotten herself in to? Kidnapping the Captain's daughter, leading him into a scheme which he only had one way out of, which was via his death... And what for? Just to keep four savage men happy so she herself could stay alive?

Fool. You are a true fool, Storm Blü. She thought to herself, burying her face in her hands.

Valkyrie moved over in the seat, wrapping her arms around Storm as best she could to hug her. "Don't be sad miss... M-My daddy'll save us. He's gotta... I-I know he will. We just gotta s-stay hopeful."

Storm hugged the girl back, and at first she didn't know what to say. She never expected a nine-year-old to say such a thing, given she was the true victim here...

"Y-You are.. S-Such a brave l-little girl... Y-Your daddy would be very proud of y-you right now.." She began, before smiling softly. "...I-If you stay strong, so will I, ok?"

"O-Ok, miss. I'll stay strong for you." The young blonde nodded.

Storm looked up out the window. Goodness, how fast the car was going.. As for where they were, she didn't know for sure, but it looked to be somewhere in Green Greens. Ahead, she saw a cabin, it looked fairly well kept up, like a vacation home. She gulped. Of course, this had to be their destination..

And it was. Within five minutes, Geo parked the car in the garage, and he and Collin got out, before opening the two back doors, Geo picking up Valkyrie, and Collin dragging Storm out.

After closing the doors, they walked to a door in the garage that led into the house. There were Rick and Andy, sitting in the living room, looking up at them as they approached. "...Ah, those the prisoners?" Rick asked.

"That they are." Collin nodded, walking them up a staircase to the left of the door to a landing above the living room. "...They'll be staying awhile.."

"As to be expected.." Andy said so Collin could hear. "...Bet Vul's already pullin' his hair out over them!"

"Probably." Geo responded as Collin opened a door to a room with two beds, and that was all. He ushered Storm in, and Geo set Valkyrie inside.

"...Have fun ladies." He grinned, before closing and locking the door.

He and Geo then walked back downstairs, Collin sitting in a black leather recliner, and Geo sitting on the couch next to Andy.

"...So.. Col..." Geo asked, getting comfortable.

"Tell us, what's our next move, huh?"


	8. Chapter 8

Back at the Halberd II now, the majority of the crew already knew the situation, and judging by Vul's current mood, he was taking it the best, though he knew that it was more than likely they'd be able to find Collin with the new tracking systems and radar, right? Or, at least, that was what he hoped for.

He'd gone to the bridge as soon as he was dressed in his familiar uniform, leaving Valentine to dress and to take care of Victor for the moment.  
>...The boy was taking it about as well as his father, and he sat in his room across the hall from his mother and father's quarters currently, unpacking his clothes and putting them away in the proper drawers. How could this happen?! They looked away from Valkyrie for one moment, and now she was gone, and Nova knew where she'd ended up. Who knows if they'd even find her or not?<br>He was so lost in thought that he jumped in surprise when there was a knock upon the door. "Er... Who is it?"  
>"Just me, Victor." Valentine responded. "...May I come in?"<br>"...Yeah, of course."

Valentine quietly opened the door, dressed in her uniform. She walked in, and closed the door behind herself.  
>"...You like your new room, Victor?"<br>"...Yeah. It's nice..."

"...Good, I'm glad you like it." She faked a smile, as, well, she still had not quite gotten over the kidnapping of her daughter.

Victor looked up at his mother sadly, and sighed, before looking out his window. "...You don't have to fake being happy about it just to assure me that everything is alright, mum." He mused. "...I know you're sad. I know that Dad is too. I know you guys are just trying to get ahold of the situation to just find her.  
>...You don't gotta worry for me."<p>

Valentine's smile quickly faded at her son's words and she sighed quietly.  
>"...I have to worry for you. I'm your mother, Victor.." She began. "...And... What happened to your sister isn't any of our faults, I hope you know..."<p>

"I know that, mum."

"Good." She nodded. "...Victor.. I.. I just want you to know myself and your father love you very much..."

"I know, mum."

"...Do you want to come to the bridge with me and see your father or.."

"Dad probably doesn't want me around right now. Besides, you and him gotta do your jobs and stuff.. I uh... Still gotta unpack."

"...Oh." Valentine hesitated, before nodding. "Of course. If you insist, Victor..." She murmured, walking over and hugging her son gently.  
>"...Love you, son."<p>

"..I love you too mum." He gave her a quick hug in return, before pulling away. "...Good luck with work and such."

"...Thank you... You... Have fun getting used to here, ok?" She walked to the door, looking at him and awaiting his response, which didn't come immediately.

"...Uh... Yeah. I will.."

"Alright Victor." She smiled, before leaving and heading for the bridge.

...Victor stayed where he was, staring out his window, back at the ocean which he could still see from where the Halberd was docked and ready for launch, not underground in it's hangar.  
>...He didn't feel he could get used to this new living quarters.<br>...Not without his little sister here.


End file.
